Wednesday, September 30, 2015

What Are Normal Blood Glucose And Blood Sugar Levels?


This is the question my diabetic patients always ask. There are various methods to determine blood sugar level. Some tests give you accurate diagnosis of diabetes or pre-diabetes, while others will tell you how well you are managing your diabetes.

Fasting Blood Sugar Test:

Measures the gulucose level after 8 hours fast or overnight. Normal fasting glucose is less than 100mg/dl. If your fasting glucose is from 100mg/dl to 125mg/dl then you will have impaired blood glucose also known as Pre-Diabetes. If your sugar level is above 125mg/dl then your doctor will diagnose as a patient of diabetes. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may repeat the fasting blood glucose test on any other day. If you have blood sugar level of 126mg/dl or higher in two consecutive tests, then you may have diabetes. If you have glucose greater than 200mg/dl and you have symptoms of diabetes like increased thirst or hunger, frequent urination, weight loss, blurred vision etc, then you may be diagnosed with diabetes mellitus without confirming it with second test.

Random Blood Glucose Test:

Random blood sugar test gives your blood sugar at any time in a day. Normal random blood sugar level should be less than 200mg/dl. If your random blood sugar is between 140mg/dl to 200mg/dl then you will have pre-diabetes.

Oral glucose tolerance test

This test measures your response to sugar. First we measure fasting glucose, and then glucose solution is given, after that we measure blood glucose after 1 hour and 2hours. A normal blood glucose level after an oral glucose tolerance test is less than 140 mg/dL. Level between 140 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL suggests pre-diabetes. A glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher two hours after you drink the glucose solution may suggest that you have diabetes mellitus.

Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test

This test is not for diagnosing diabetes, but it shows you how well you have controlled your sugar in last 2 or 3 months. Normal value is less than 7%, however if it is more than 7 then you and your doctor should think of changing your treatment of diabetes.

Always Remember, your blood glucose measurement alone is not enough to differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Your doctor may do some other tests to find out which type of diabetes you have.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Nocturnal Asthma


Contrary to popular belief, both our breathing rate and depth actually increases during sleep compared to our resting breathing rate and depth. This increase in the overall volume of air we are inhaling results in a decrease in carbon dioxide levels and consequently we will experience a decrease in the actual oxygen reaching our cells.

When our cells are being deprived of oxygen, our body's defence mechanism will kick into gear and asthmatic symptoms are the result.

We are much more susceptible to asthma symptoms during sleep because when we are unconscious and in a horizontal position such as during sleep, we are more likely to breathe more deeply and to breathe more often when compared to our normal resting breathing rate and depth. Additionally, it is very easy for us to hyper-ventilate or over-breathe during sleep, simply because when our muscles are at rest, we don't really need to breathe very much at all, therefore any slight increase can be a problem.

During sleep many asthmatics will wake up with one or more of the following symptoms: mucus on the lungs, tightness in the chest, breathlessness, coughing and wheezing. These are all signs and symptoms of nocturnal asthma, which is simply your body's defence.

Mouth breathing patterns may emerge which can trigger snoring and even the potentially fatal sleep apnea. It is usually at its worst when sleeping is in its deepest stage, in the early hours of the morning.

Sleep can be a very dangerous time not only for asthmatics, but everybody. Most heart attacks, cardiac arrests, strokes and deaths occur during the early hours of the morning during the deepest stages of sleep.

The good news is that nocturnal asthma can be prevented and totally avoided by following a few simple rules.

Firstly, ensure that the bedroom environment is clean and free of dust and dust mites, pet dander, fragrances and anything else that could trigger asthma. Make sure your bed sheets are also clean. Replace pillows and mattresses as regularly as feasible especially if you live in a humid environment. Consider using a de-humidifier if you do live in a climate with high humidity.

Implement nasal breathing at all times and especially at night and when sleeping.

Don't eat too much before bed or drink too much alcohol and avoid sleeping on your back as all of these things can both increase your breathing rate and depth.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Which Cat Litter Is Best For You?


Although cats have been kept domestically as pets since the early Egyptians, it wasn't until the late 1940s that commercial cat litter came to be. Prior to that people either let their cats outside to do their business or used cardboard box full with stand in the home.

This was less than ideal and, in fact, the first commercial cat litter was "discovered" mostly by accident when a cat owner sought out the help of her neighbor after the sand she used for her cat litter box was frozen solid. This neighbor made a product that consisted of clay and gave her little clay pellets to use as litter. The pellets proved to be so absorbent this was an immediate success and soon everyone wanted to use these little clay pellets which soon became sold under the name "Kitty Litter".

Since than there have been hundreds of brands and types of litter manufactured and sold on the market. But how do you know which type is right for you?

The answer that might have a little bit to do with your cat is some cats can do not like different types of litter. Needless to say, if your cat isn't comfortable going in the box you can probably find someplace else to go and you may not like it. Although most cats take to most types of litter you may find you need to experiment a little bit if you cat doesn't seem to like his litter box.

Here are some of the materials you might consider for your cat litter:

Clay

The original Kitty Litter was made from clay and this brand is still available today and very popular. It is made from sodium bentonite which is a type of clay that is very absorbent. When the cat would use the litter box, his waist with clump up making it easy to change out. Most cat litter has claimed today in fact this is what makes the clumpable cat litters so easy to use.

Clay litters, however to have some problems they can clump onto your cat's paws and fur and can be destiny. Some of the newer brands claim to be less dusty but these contain silicon particles which are a known carcinogen. You might want to think twice before buying any cat litter with this in it, but a lot of them do use it so you have to read labels carefully.

Silica Gel

This is a fairly new material for cat litter and is made from silica dioxide sand, oxygen and water. It is said to absorb up to 40 times its weight and does not track so you won't have to worry about it getting all over your house. Manufactures claim this is non toxic, and although it can be expensive and might save you in the long run since holds the moisture inside the silica gel balls, the same cat litter can be used for months without changing up the box so you save on material and maintenance.

Newspaper

You can buy some litters made from recycled newspapers that are crunched up into pellet form. This cat litter is dust free, non-tracking and is biodegradable so you can flush it.

Wheat And Plant Based

These are the most natural kinds of litters and while you might think that these don't work as good as the other letters I used a wheat based cat litter and I can assure you it works just as good in his last dusty and smelly as the clay litters. They can be a little bit more expensive car very good at controlling odor and can be flushed. My cat seems to like it too!

Other natural types of cat litter include those made from corn kernel, ground corncobs, beet pulp, and wheat grass.

Sawdust

Some cat litters used pine or cedar sawdust which is dried and compressed into pellets. These naturally neutralize the odor from the ammonia in the past year and enter pretty absorbant as well. These plants have natural bacterial and insecticidal properties and the natural smell the plant. If you have allergies or asthma, you may want to be careful with these as I know personally the pine smell can set off my asthma.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Asthma and the Effects of Dehydration


When spring arrives it brings with it gobs of pollen. In March and April, everything gets this fine yellow dust cover of pollen, especially from the trees. For some people, this triggers allergy and asthma attacks. Asthma is much more alarming than the stuffy, runny nose and the swollen, weepy eyes of an allergy attack. Of course, asthma is triggered by more than allergies. Stress can be a strong contributor to this breathing problem. One relatively new theory also claims dehydration can cause asthma attacks.

Asthma is usually defined as a shortness of breath that can come on without any warning. The breath become shallow, more rapid and can be accompanied by a notable wheeze or whistling in the out-breath. Sufferers can sometimes feel that they are almost suffocating as breathing becomes more labored. New theories out there, determine that asthma may be no more than a dehydration response because of known lung mechanics. It can be illustrated this way. Breathe through your mouth for a few minutes.

Notice how dry your mouth gets, so much so that you have to stimulate saliva to move around your mouth with your tongue.

In a dehydration response in the body, histamine is activated. Histamine has two functions, one of which is not generally known. Histamine is in charge of the immune activation system, mobilizing the defenses against incoming invaders. Histamine is also in charge of water management in the body. It is the foreman, deciding where available water goes and how much goes where.

When dehydration becomes apparent, histamine activity greatly increases and the body is alerted that the emergency response team is at the ready. When the moisture level in the lungs decreases to the point where dehydration is becoming apparent, an increase in histamine levels in the lungs causes the bronchioles to spasm, which makes them contract. This spasming action caused by histamine in the bronchial tubes is part of the body's way to conserve water that would normally just get breathed out to evaporate during the out breath, that normally occurs when we breathe out naturally. Now the body cannot afford to give up that water, so it tries to save it.

In dehydration, the lung tissue can become very susceptible to drying out. The little air sacs in the lungs have very thin layers of tissue to easily and quickly pass gases and toxins through the thin walls as we breathe in and out. This tissue must be kept moist all the time or the tissue can become damaged, creating permanent breathing problems. Moisture in the lungs naturally evaporates when we breathe, so to prevent lung damage, the tissue constricts in response to histamine, to conserve water, preventing it from evaporating. As histamine constricts the tissues, the amount of air passing through and around the lung tissues is lessened, giving us the impression it is harder to breathe and we labor to get more air into our lungs.

Histamine also triggers mucous production to coat the tissues and protect them from drying out. This can stimulate the asthmatic cough as one tries to clear the passages enough to get the next breath. It can be scary as the breathing becomes more restricted if the body becomes even more dehydrated.

If this theory hold true, researchers say that by drinking two large glasses of water, the breathing will ease. In addition health professionals advise sufferers to make a cup of hot tea, particularly green tea. Take minute sips of the tea, as hot as you can stand it without burning yourself, swallowing them and breathing in the steam from the hot tea. This will moisten the lungs and the hot tea will relieve the spasming and coughing. Within minutes, the attack should subside and you will begin to feel much better.

By rehydrating your body with lots of clean spring water, you should feel better in no time. To prevent further attacks, sufferers are advised to continue to drink as much water as they can each day, half their body weight in ounces.

Asthma suffers should be constantly monitored by their health care professional as an attack can be very serious. Suffers may find that drinking more water may reduce the severity of an attack and may also reduce the number of attacks. By being vigilant, reducing exposure to asthmatic triggers and taking their medication as prescribed, asthma sufferers may find themselves more comfortable and requiring less medication. After all, we can't stop breathing.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Get Rid of Your Asthma Problems With Natural Asthma Control


I don't know anyone that has asthma that can tell you it's a fun disease to live with. It's a scary thing having an asthma attack, and its something every asthmatic would want to avoid.

The good news is asthma attacks can be avoided, if the correct steps are taken to natural asthma control for your asthma improvement. One of the best ways of doing this is using natural ways to control your asthma, and staying away from your asthma triggers.

For top notch and best natural asthma control eating more foods with Vitamin C in it, is an excellent way to control your asthma. Vitamin C will bolster your immunity and help you get rid of nasty cold, and flu germs. It will also help improve your asthma in this process too.

By doing this you will be able to breathe a lot better, and do a lot more than what you were able to do before. It almost gets rid of symptoms as soon as it is taken in.

The more you eat Vitamin C, the better it is for your asthma, and the easier your natural asthma control becomes. Things such as Limes, Lemons, Oranges, Strawberries, and Tomatoes, are all things that have Vitamin C.

This is good for any person that has asthma, and I highly recommend you try this for your asthma management. You will be surprised at the positive impact that this will have on your asthma, and you will be happy you decided to try it.

Natural asthma control is really easy, but it does take time and commitment in order to get the results you are looking for. Just don't give up and stay focused, just because one thing fails you, it doesn't mean the next thing you are going to try is going to fail.

Friday, September 25, 2015

How to Prevent Asthma Attacks When Scuba Diving?


No sport comes without its own risks and hazards. In scuba diving, asthmatics are predisposed to heightened levels of risk among those categorized as high-risk under this recreational sport; particularly the risk of contracting pulmonary barotrauma and air embolism. Nonetheless, asthma should never be a hindrance to a fun, underwater adventure.

If you happen to be an asthmatic and yet interested to engage in open water scuba diving, you might want to digest the following information to learn about pertinent risk factors and triggers; how these can be controlled or prevented and if your present health profile merits you the right to engage in a few recreational dives.


  1. Mild and Controlled Asthma. Diving physicians generally allow patients inflicted with mild and/or controlled asthma to go scuba diving. Mild and controlled types of asthma include inactive asthma and another one controlled by maintenance medications only (not by bronchodilators). However, if you have not been diagnosed with either mild and/or controlled asthma, it would be to your health's best interest to seek physician's advice for the recommendation of maintenance medication that would help control the manifest of asthma.


  2. Asthma Triggers. Individual sufferers succumb to different triggers where allergic asthma (food, medication, dust and pollen, among others) predisposes the patient to lesser risks when scuba diving. Meanwhile, if asthma attacks are triggered by strenuous exercise, cold temperatures or pent up emotions; it would not be a good idea to pursue scuba diving. Nonetheless, in the case of an overwhelming desire for this extreme sport, you could instead request from your physician the prescription of medications formulated to keep asthma attacks at bay despite its triggers.


  3. Medication. If instances of asthma attacks are controlled by maintenance medications such as steroids, scuba diving risks are greatly reduced. On the other hand, if bronchodilators are the only means of control for random asthma attacks, you might want to reconsider intentions of engaging in the said sport. Moreover, if asthma attacks have been far in between; though fears of its manifest in the course of the dive persistently bother you, start taking maintenance medicine at least a couple of weeks before the scheduled dive.


  4. Physical Examination. If pertinent fitness qualifications (in line with the conduct of scuba diving) have not yet been determined, submit to a physical examination and Spirometry for a comprehensive evaluation of your condition.

Utter recklessness can endanger a sufferer's life a few feet of sea water below the surface. Seeking proper medical attention and learning more about the nature of this respiratory condition can help asthmatic divers enjoy the sport without putting their lives on the line. Just remember to always exercise caution and make informed decisions through the counsel of qualified health care providers. Moreover, it would be good for asthmatic divers to get by with quality scuba equipment, particularly a high performance scuba regulator such as the Aeris AT 400 Pro Regulator [http://www.scubasuppliers.com/site/1408308/product/30.0410] which comes designed with an over balanced diaphragm first stage and pneumatically balance second stage; thereby allowing the scuba diver level inhalation effort as multiple levels are cruised on the water column.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Here Are Top Asthma Treatment Guidelines Doctors Choose Not To Discuss About


In order to maximize affectively for each asthmatic, organizations that deal with asthma from around the globe have developed guidelines that medical practitioners should follow. These guidelines contain step by step methods on how to start and proceed further with the treatment while keeping the best interests of the patient in mind.

The latest guideline released by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute or NHLBI places more emphasis on asthma assessment and control rather than severity. Interestingly, the summary of the guidelines state that the symptoms of asthma may or may not be always correlated with its severity, meaning, that the frequency and severity of the symptoms that you experience may not be directly related to the severity of your condition as there are many factors that can be considered for each and every attack that you might have.

The guideline contains essential information that will help clinicians develop more effective techniques aimed to help patients achieve long term relief with the least amount of medical intervention as possible. This also contains information on how to educate asthmatics about their condition properly so that the patient can proactively participate in the treatment process as well.

Aside from emphasizing on control rather than the severity, the guideline also points out the individualization of treatment for each patient along with possible courses of action for changes that might occur whether good or bad.

The guidelines also contain information about what should be accomplished by the clinician per patient visitation. It states that clinicians should asses the psychosocial status of the patient, his/her adherence or compliance to the medicinal regimen being given, along with its use and possible side effects.

The guideline also points out that clinicians should review the asthma action plan for every visit so that further changes can be made if necessary and that a conclusion should be reached after each and every visit whether the condition is well controlled or not.

While the NHLBI guidelines are mostly aimed at clinicians, it points out that in order to achieve long term relief and control over the condition, close partnership with the patient should be established. It also states that in whatever case, the patient will always have the final say about their treatment and that the clinician should only intervene in cases where the patient is intentionally and purposely putting him/herself in danger by not adhering to the medication or treatment being given.

So in a sense, the guidelines posted by the NHLBI gives emphasis on the care and actions that doctors should be mindful of when treating asthma, their ultimate goal and the considerations that they need to make when treatment proves ineffective.

The information contained therein will assist physicians in pro actively addressing individual needs and improve outcomes in the long run.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Natural Herbs for Allergies - Treat Allergies Without Medication


Modern medicine has made many advances over the years in treating allergy symptoms. Sometimes the cure may be worse than the illness. Many decongestants will lead to a dry mouth and a rise in blood pressure. Antihistamines tend to make you drowsy and groggy.

Are there any natural herbs that will help treat the symptoms of allergies without all of the unpleasant side effects? The good news is that you can find many natural herbs for allergies that will offer relief from your symptoms the holistic way. Natural herbs that will actually help to prevent the symptoms rather than treating them once they start. This can be an effective way of managing many of the seasonal allergies that a number of people suffer from.

I have heard about antihistamines, but what are they?

Antihistamines prevent the body from producing histamines. Histamines are a chemical by product when antibodies attack a foreign substance in the body. For allergy suffers, the body has mistakenly identified a benign substance to be a threat to the body. The immune system has created an antibody to attack and destroy this threat. Histamines create the allergy symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes and coughing, so when your body cannot produce as many, your symptoms are reduced as well.

Herbal Antihistamines

Stinging Nettle - This herb works very well as a natural antihistamine, without the drowsiness that comes from using many of the over-the-counter medicines that are available. Stinging nettle can be purchased in capsule form from many natural food and vitamin stores today.

Butterbur - Another herbal antihistamine, which is a harder herb to come by in the United States, but nevertheless effective as a natural means of treating allergies.

Quercetin - Is another good natural herb for allergies, and has the added benefit of acting as a natural antioxidant that can reduce the risk of some types of cancer.

Plantain - Has been used for a long time in treating respiratory complaints including cough and inflammation. It also has anti-catarrhal and antispasmodic properties.

Chamomile - According to German studies it may slow allergic reactions, such as those that trigger asthma attacks, by increasing the adrenal glands' production of cortisone, which reduces lung inflammation and makes breathing easier.

Before taking a natural herb to treat your allergies, consult with your allergy doctor before taking anything. Some herbs can have side effects with other herbs. They can also have potentially dangerous interactive effects when taken with other over the counter and prescription medicines.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

An Overlooked Conditioning Technique May Benefit Asthmatic Sufferers


Professional athletes, Olympic athletes and those serious-minded athletes who seek to improve their performance often train at mountain resorts where thin air, less oxygen, demands strenuous training to attain desired results. Indeed, high altitude visits have an established prominence in overall conditioning and endurance but also have applications for asthmatic patients and those individuals with illnesses having an underlying allergic component as well as disorders unrelated to allergy. While trips to high altitude resorts for extended periods may be impractical for most people, simulated exposures to the low pressure of high altitude in an altitude chamber merits serious consideration and the availability of these chambers is expected to increase over the next decade.

A brief review of the history of simulated high altitude as a therapy and for conditioning is in order. In the late 1940s the scientist Solco W. Tromp, Ph.D., a Dutch geologist by training and co-founder of the prestigious International Society of Biometeorology (biometeorology.org - 1956), made a curious observation. He noted that children with asthma were relieved of their symptoms whenever they skied downhill but not cross country. As a scientist he wondered if this simple observation could be verified under controlled clinical conditions. For this purpose he retrofitted altitude chambers imported from Germany and in cooperation with the medical school and hospital in Leiden, The Netherlands conducted research that lasted more than 30 years and is today documented with 41 papers by Tromp in the Medline index of the PubMed archives of the National Library of Medicine (pubmed.gov - enter: tromp sw). A link referencing Tromp's basic protocol is provided below. This does not take into account the numerous out of print books and texts Tromp authored on the pioneering science of Human Biometeorology (ref: Google.com). His prolific contributions to the literature of health and science are best appreciated by entering his name, as S.W. Tromp, in amazon.com (books), used.addall.com, and the Google search engine. Nevertheless, as with many non-medical, non-surgical therapeutic modalities Tromp's work went largely ignored by establishment medicine which advocated then as now pharmacological-researched therapy.

Although commonly known as altitude chambers they are more appropriately called hypobaric (low pressure) chambers. Hypobaric chambers should not be confused with the more widely utilized hyperbaric (high pressure) chambers. When compared, hypobaric exposure simulates ascending in an airplane while hyperbaric exposure simulates descending in a submarine requiring oxygen administration and both chambers have similar yet different physiologic benefits for users. The late F. Joseph Whelan, M.D., a neuropsychiatrist and clinician long associated with the hypobaric technology, coined the term "cellular calisthenics" to describe the effects of controlled pressure exposures on cells. As a result of the normal aging process, disease or injury some cellular workings diminish while adjacent cells function sufficiently to sustain life. When all cells are simultaneously stressed by prescribed pressure and/or temperature changes they respond or improve their roles by re-establishing normal expansion-contraction of their membranous cell walls to initiate and enhance metabolic functions that include respiration, circulation, digestion, assimilation, reproduction, excretion etc. This process is thought common to both the hypobaric and hyperbaric chamber sojourns and since cellular improvement results from prescribed pressure changes the conditioning and therapeutic applications are theoretically far reaching.

This writer has no experience with hyperbaric chambers or hyperbaric oxygenation protocols and nothing written further should be construed to pertain to such uses.

Whelan's theory of "cellular calisthenics," in collaboration with this writer, takes on its greatest significance with the fact that the human body is composed of 75 trillion cells ranging from the simplest epithelial cells to highly specialized organ cells. While each cell performs its metabolic functions the cell's most important process is the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) that immediately breaks down to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to release Energy which is defined as "The ability to do work." As cells improve their function "to do work" the realization becomes apparent that cells collectively comprise tissues which make up organs that in turn comprise systems and ultimately systems that function to capacity actually improve their "interface of interdependence" for maximum efficiency. It follows that immunologic function improves as does the management of stressful demands. Whelan further believed that with significant objective improvement (based on the PubMed archived Tromp protocol expressed in the paper, "Influence of weather and climate on asthma and bronchitis," http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5702098, a trial of antibiotic therapy would assist the metabolic function of excretion (bacteria reduction) and Applied Kinesiology (AK) testing and techniques could accurately monitor the efficacy of this trial.

The effects on human physiology at high altitude are unique since healthy athletes and individuals with varying conditions benefit from its exposure whether simulated or natural. As an example, the natural parallel to hypobaric usage would occur on the Hawaiian island of Maui where an individual would start at sea level then drive up the inactive volcano Mt. Haleakala (a tourist attraction), remain at its summit of 10,000 feet (3048 meters) for one full hour then drive back down to sea level. This is a very safe procedure that has no harmful effects for most tourists who travel this journey daily. The first observable physiological change occurs pre and post sojourn measurements of urinary pH with a post shift to the alkaline right. Excessive acetic diets can occasionally affect this finding.

In high altitude physiology, whether simulated or natural, oxygen availability decreases. This decrease in oxygen reflexively stimulates the kidneys to increase their normal production of the human growth hormone erythropoeitin, EPO. Synthetic EPO is an invaluable therapy for the dialysis patient but EPO has been unscrupulously administered by prescribing physicians in what is now commonly known as "blood doping" to maximize athletic performance.

Overall conditioning and endurance improve when raised EPO levels migrate to the long bones (arms and legs) to stimulate additional production of red blood cells (RBCs) from bone marrow. These RBCs then circulate to the lungs to improve pulmonary function thus resulting in chest wall expansion and an increased transport of RBCs throughout the body. This phenomenon has such therapeutic and conditioning implications that it is nothing short of being termed a "biological classic" that has yet to be fully realized and appreciated. It is noteworthy that EPO production is increased naturally up to 50 times with chamber usage and more than a thousand times by its synthetic administration.

The major difference between visits to a high altitude resort and hypobaric chamber exposures is that with the former after a short period of time the body only acclimates to the atmospheric altitude pressure change while with chamber exposures "cellular calisthenics" occurs making it analogous to a regimented exercise routine. By a series of innovative experiments involving the body's thermoregulatory response, Tromp proved that these repeated exposures resulted in significant corrections and what appeared to be improvements or cures in compliant patients.

During his lifetime of research Tromp concluded that hypobaric exposures became optimally therapeutic with a prescribed pressure simulating 8200 feet (2500 meters) for one full hour duration three or four times a week until a minimum of 50 sojourns to an optimal 100 sojourns was accomplished. For those rare patients unable to tolerate this pressure or where otherwise contraindicated Tromp realized that pressure simulating 5000 feet (1525 meters) provided a minimal therapeutic threshold. Pressure below 5000 feet was of no conditioning or therapeutic value while that above 8200 feet prepared mountain climbers and personnel involved in aerospace programs to tolerate the significantly lower pressure of higher altitudes.

The distinguished scientist and philanthropist Mr. Shelley Krasnow, founder and president of Georator Corporation, Manassas, Virginia, is singlehandedly credited for importing this technology to the United States. His second medical paper indexed in PubMed entitled, "Geographic patterns of large intestine and rectal malignancy mortality in Virginia," http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5528099, was preceded by his equally intriguing analysis in the research paper, "Physiological chilling as a possible factor in mortality from neoplasia" that paralleled the work of Tromp and resulted in a close personal friendship that lasted until Tromp's passing. Through his non-profit corporation, Medical Progress, Inc., Shelley Krasnow provided all patients (especially pediatric asthmatics) with free access to benefit from the complete chamber conditioning protocol.

This writer is honored and privileged to have worked closely with Shelley Krasnow from 1982 until his passing in 1989 and still maintains the protocols established by Tromp.

As a final thought the cases of my first two patients who completed and actually exceeded the chamber protocol is offered to illustrate the diversity of patients/clients who can be helped with this conditioning procedure. The first involved a divorced 28 year old female without children whose chief complaint was progressive unilateral upper and lower extremity weakness. Objective examination confirmed her complaint which failed to respond to conservative chiropractic management. A neurological consult was ordered with a suspected impression of possible demyelenating disease as the cause for her symptoms. As neither CAT nor MRI scans were readily available (1982) she elected to decline any invasive confirmatory procedure instead opting to try the chamber conditioning protocol. As the sessions increased in number her symptoms very slowly improved which inspired her to seek additional complementary therapies. These included acupuncture, Applied Kinesiology (AK), homeopathy and lifestyle changes that when integrated continued to improve her condition. Today she is fully functional, gainfully employed, but on occasion experiences minimal to moderate discomforts.

In the second case a young man who served in the navy as an aircraft carrier jet mechanic continued this occupation into civilian life. It was while working for a major airline in Chicago years later that he and a colleague serviced an aircraft on the tarmac at night in subzero weather. Both men collapsed on the job and were rushed to the ER for evaluation where a diagnosis of sudden onset of asthma was established. They were treated accordingly. When this individual became my patient for non-related musculoskeletal complaints I suggested a trial in the chamber which he readily agreed to pursue. Within a short period subjective and objective pulmonary improvements became evident. He had always maintained consultation with his pulmonologist until he eventually relocated to Hawaii where I'm certain he's a regular and frequent visitor to Mt. Haleakala.

Not unlike my predecessors I have often tried and failed to create interest within the healing arts community to this conditioning technology. But it seems that well meaning docs are more interested in maintaining their own specialized turf than referring patients to trial an unfamiliar but safe procedure. And so I'm left to imagine if victims of such catastrophes as Gulf War Syndrome, Legionnaires' Disease or respiratory disorders afflicting first responders to the horrors of 9/11 could have been saved by a technology that succeeds with clinically verifiable outcomes. I suspect professional athletes in their quest to legally attain the competitive edge will one day be first on line to embrace hypobaric chamber conditioning.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Asthma - Is Your House Adding to the Problem?


Millions of Americans have been dealt the asthma card, a card they are forced to play. A life threatening and life altering disease, asthma can affect the quality of life for sufferers, drastically for those whose asthma is severe. Though it has no cure, the good news for those inflicted is that asthma is often controllable, particularly if the asthma is triggered by certain allergens. This control begins, as most things do, in the home. The home can be filled with asthma triggers, triggers that you might not even be aware your housing.

To get rid of asthma triggers in your house, rid your house of the following:



Second Hand Smoke
: Asthmatics are generally not smokers: cigarette smoke can drastically exacerbate the disease and asthmatics have a hard enough time breathing without filling their lungs with smoke. But, if asthmatics live in a house where smoking takes place, their disease can easily be triggered. For this reason, a house with an asthmatic should be free of all kinds of smoke. If a smoker resides or visits the house, they should be asked to smoke outside.



Pets:
We love Fluffy and Fido as much as the next person, but some asthmatics are highly allergic to certain pet dander. A sufferer may see their asthma triggered when they are around cats, when they are around dogs, or when they are around both. Even animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits can be asthma triggers. For this reason, the family pet should be chosen carefully or omitted altogether.



Mold:
No one wants mold in their house, but that doesn't mean they don't have it. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements are ideal places for mold to prosper. In order to help your house stay mold free, check your plumbing system for leaks, keep areas around washing machines, dishwashers, and bathtubs clean and dry, clean shower curtains, open doors to allow air circulation, avoid putting laundry away wet, and clean bath mats and door mats regularly.



Cockroaches and Dust Mites
: Like mold, you probably aren't inviting cockroaches and dust mites into your house. But, they don't need you to: they invite themselves. Cockroaches sneak in through cracks and crevices and are often most attracted to areas where they can easily find food. To avoid them from entering your house, keep it clean of crumbs and other debris. Dust mites, though usually too small to be obvious, are known for living in mattresses and bedding. To avoid these, try purchasing a dust mite resistant latex mattress. That'll let the bugs know you aren't really all that fond of sharing your bed.

Not all asthma attacks are preventable, but identifying and ridding your house of the triggers can help asthmatics - and their families - breathe a little easier.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

My 3 Ways of Beating Asthma and High Blood Pressure!


I find it so amazing that we live in the wealthiest country in the world (The United States of America) and we suffer the most from ailments that can be prevented. As a little boy growing up in Harlem, NY, I had suffered from asthma all of my childhood. I was very active as a child and I loved to play all type of sports basketball, baseball, football, etc. If there was a game out there to play like most kids enjoy, I was in it and having so much fun. Then, there were the moments where it wasn't so much fun. Like a lot of you may know playing hard a getting out of breath was just part of the activity, but for me getting out of breath was very serious.

Just imagine losing your breath and staying that way and not being able to breathe normally for hours on end. Very scary! And the hard part of it was that you couldn't fix it alone. I was rushed to hospitals and was given all types of medications to correct the shortness of breath. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, and as a young boy you don't really know what's going on. All you want to do is be kid and play just like everyone else.

As I grew older and started to get an idea of what was happening to me, I always asked the question, how can I get rid of this? I still to this day ask that question a little bit differently, how do we get rid of this? I say that because as I grew older and my circle of influence broaden I've seen family members, close friends, and more and more people on the news not only suffering from asthma, but high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, diabetes, joint pain, and so much more. I made it a mission to find out how to rid our bodies from these diseases.

One of the ways that I found help so much was to take a serious look at what we are putting in our bodies. You know what they say, "garbage in-garbage out". Through no fault of our own, we have to look back at the diets of our relative's past. Most of the foods they ate, we have taken them on to share with our current generation. Let me ask you a question, weather you were raised on the farm or in the city, have you ever seen a cow eat another cow? Most of us have seen cows grazing on grass putting in the good stuff. Now how does that relate to us? Just look at the foods we eat, the fast food we can't get enough of, Look at how the foods are preserved to last longer. Look at how long it takes for meat to digest in your system. This not what our bodies need. Our body needs Vitamins, Minerals, Nutrients, and Antioxidants. Sorry to say it's not in the foods we eat! And if there is, it's a very small amount.

Folks, we are literally starving our bodies and as much as I would love to have a microphone to tell the world how they should eat. I'd rather share with the world of what I have done to give my body all the Vitamins, Minerals, Nutrients and Antioxidants needed everyday so I can protect myself from preventive ailments.

My three steps to improving my health are:

Step 1: I got a physical examination where it was determined that I had high blood pressure in addition to my childhood illness of asthma. We now hear on the news that High Blood Pressure is the highest cause of heart disease in America today. You can improve your health with some effort.

Step 2: I took action. I started to educate myself on how to reduce sodium in my foods by checking the label which is easy to do. I also purchased a high blood pressure monitor for home use where I was able to start tracking my improvements.

Step 3: I manage to find out about a new breakthrough in nutritional supplements called Ganoderma Lucidum. It made it easier, much more fun and tastier for me to get vitamins and minerals to be absorbed into my system faster. It is added to Coffee,Tea and Hot Chocolate. After drinking my favorite coffee and tea when I finally went to the doctor for a check up my blood pressure was normal (128/83). Not bad for a 49 year old man! In the past visits to my doctor, my pressure was around mid to high (148/96). The best suggestion I can give, is to Google Ganoderma with your ailment then you will get to see how this "king of herb" is helping so many people.

Did you know that Ganoderma Lucidum is 100% certified organic and has a 4,000 year history, originally reserved for royalty. It oxgenates the body, provides more energy, natural body detoxifcation, provides more vigor, supports circulation, supports the immune system, and much much more.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Does Chlorine in Drinking Water Cause Asthma?


The causes of asthma are complicated. A combination of allergies to things like chlorine, structural differences in the lungs and upper respiratory system, chronic inflammation and coexisting conditions may be involved. Genetics may also play a role.

• Risk Factors

Numerous risk factors have been identified as causing an increased risk of becoming asthmatic. For example, exposure to cigarette smoke during infancy and childhood can cause "asthma-like" symptoms. If exposure ends, the symptoms typically resolve and the risk of developing severe asthma problems is reduced.

Poor air quality of any kind increases the risk, particularly during childhood. Children who live in heavily polluted environments are more likely to have symptoms. The condition is more common in urban than in rural communities due to vehicular traffic or other issues.

• Another Issue for City Dwellers

Another factor that may explain why the condition is more common in cities is the use of chlorine or chloramines to disinfect public drinking water. In areas with large populations, there are more bacteria in the water. Because of that, more disinfectants must be used to prevent outbreaks of waterborne illnesses.

• Respiratory Irritation

Chlorine, chloramines and other chemical disinfectants are respiratory irritants. Chlorine gas is toxic. It can quickly cause lung damage. Continuous exposure to the fumes may be accompanied by an increased risk of asthma during childhood and adulthood.

• Asthma Trigger

The gas is also known to trigger the asthmatic response. In other words, brief exposure to the fumes, even at low concentrations, can cause wheezing, coughing and other symptoms. Bleach and other cleaning products cause a similar response. When you use chlorinated water and cleansers that contain bleach, you further increase your risk of attack. While a person's first thought may be that keeping the house cleaner will reduce the risk of attacks, the opposite may actually be true.

• How Chlorine Causes Lung Irritation

Chlorine reacts with moisture in the lungs to form hydrochloric acid, another irritant that can be lethal. The gas was one of the first chemical weapons. It was used in World War I by German forces. The concentration found in the air of a home due to chlorinated tap water is not high enough to cause death from hydrochloric acid, but it can and does cause asthma problems and irritates other respiratory ailments.

• Another Problem

• Chlorination leads to the production of disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes (THMs). Exposure to THMs increases a person's lifetime risk for several kinds of cancer. The more exposure, the greater the risk. For example, a person who swims frequently in chlorinated water, showers in chlorinated water and drinks chlorinated tap water is said to have an "unacceptable" risk.

• What to Do

Swimmers don't want to stop swimming. Public treatment facilities cannot stop disinfecting tap water. People cannot stop showering. Drinking bottled water does not necessarily address the issue. Some bottle water brands contain chlorine.

The best way to reduce your exposure to chlorine is to keep it out of your home. In my next article you will learn how removing chlorine from tap water may help asthma. You'll also learn how to accomplish that feat. It's not really that difficult.

Can You Be Allergic to Chinchillas?


Chinchillas are lovable and endearing and offer many years of companionship for the owner but can you be allergic to chinchillas? A not so well known info is that chinchilla do discharge proteins that make a person allergic. It is expulsion in the form of urine and saliva and in addition to, they shed their fur once every few months.

The reason a person becomes allergic to chinchillas is primarily due to the hay and dust from the chinchillas. If you happen to be allergic to hay and dust, then buying a chinchilla as pet is out of question. It is a well known fact that most warm-blooded animals that release protein have fur in their body. Furry animals like to lick their fur and the saliva, once dried will set of the protein floating about on different material in the home.

Some who might not be attuned of such things will have to contend with their allergies and eventually give away their pet chinchilla. It is not just the owner who has to put up with the hassle but the poor chinchilla as well. They will have to fore go their hay and dust bath and then sooner or later they have to be re-homed. It can be traumatic for the pet chinchilla, not just for the owner who is suffering from the allergy.

You can get allergic just by exposing to the chinchilla and rubbing your eyes and skin is common. One relevant detail that we need to know is that allergy might takes weeks, months or even years to occur and there are instances that some owners might require inhaler to cure their breathing predicament. If you are one such person who eventually becomes allergic to the hay and dust, then re-homing is obligatory for your pet.

To avoid from developing long term allergies from the hay and dust, there are many ways and cover the cage of your chinchilla with a sheet by having its own enclosed area with closed door is one of them. If there is a need to apply dust, stay off the fans, then wrap it with a sheet and close the door to the room for a little more than ten minutes as it will allow the dust to settle.

Asides from the necessary safety measures, you can buy for your pet chinchilla certain brand of bath sands that reduce the impact of the dust from flying around. While it is helpful to reduce the dust, it is not cost effective for those who are on a tight resource. The measures you take to curtail the allergies from your pet chinchilla are all indispensable steps but if you do eventually develop allergies or are severely allergic to fur and dust, then re-homing is the best option.

Flameless Candles and Other Tips for Asthma Sufferers


All kinds of everyday things can provoke asthma attacks, and what triggers an attack in some people won't have any effect on someone else. Indoor air pollution is one of the most common causes of an asthma attack, so understanding the possible triggers can make the home a more pleasant, safe and relaxing place.

While we're all aware of outdoor pollution, unless something smells bad in the house we don't necessarily associate breathing difficulties with poor air quality indoors.

Common household elements that create indoor pollution are:

  • Perfumes

  • Hair Spray

  • Air Fresheners

  • Pet Dander

  • Smoke or Fumes from candles

  • Dust Mites

Why Indoor Pollution is Bad for Asthma

Small liquid, or solid, airborne particles are easily breathed into the lungs, and in people with asthma this causes extreme irritation in the delicate lung tissue. This in turn causes a restriction of the airways that leads to coughing or wheezing, a feeling of tightness in the chest and difficulty in breathing. Allergic reactions to common household products can also trigger asthmatic attacks, particularly in children.

Practical Steps to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution

The first step towards creating cleaner, less harmful indoor air is to remove those items that you know are irritants. If you're not sure what's triggering an asthma attack in your home you may need to experiment a little, removing or reducing use of one irritant at a time and watching for improvement in the sufferer.

Candles

Many people are surprised to find they're allergic to the fumes given off by burning candles. It may be the compounds used in the manufacturing of the candle, or it may be perfume, whether it's an added scent or the natural scent particles in the wax. Either way, the answer is to switch to flameless candles so you can still enjoy the ambiance but carry on breathing at the same time. As an added bonus, flameless candles are much safer in the home, especially where there are children or pets.

Perfumes and Air Fresheners

These commonly trigger asthma attacks, with some people reporting that plug-in air fresheners are particularly risky. Try running the air conditioning to freshen the air in the home, or open a window and let in fresh air unless the pollen outside will make matters worse. Avoid wearing perfume or, if you can tolerate a little, try spraying it only on wrists or behind knees so you don't directly inhale the fumes.

Dust Mites

Keep house dust down by using a damp cloth rather than spray polish on sealed surfaces. Use mattress and pillow protectors to keep beds and linen dust and mite-free. Use non-aerosol cleaners for wood or shiny furniture.

Asthma can be debilitating and frightening for children and adults alike. Once triggers are known it's easier to keep attacks to a minimum, and simple solutions such as using flameless candles or non-perfumed cleaning products are a small price to pay for easier breathing.

Asthma in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding


Asthma is perhaps one of the most common disorders that can develop during pregnancy. It is also one of the most serious disorders that can develop during pregnancy. Since it is state where the hampering of the most vital process of respiration is concerned it should never be neglected and adequate measures should be taken to relieve the situation.

There is no evidence that suggests any increase in incidents of spontaneous abortions or development of congenital deformities in pregnant ladies with asthmatic condition. Generally the available statistics show that the asthmatic ladies who get pregnant have worsening of their disease in about one-third of the cases. Anther one-third patients show no changes in their conditions and the last one-third show signs of getting better. It is a very rare incident that an asthma patient has complications due to her condition while child birth.

In most situations ladies come back to their normal condition of the disease within three to four months of delivery. This may be indicative of nature's way of supporting the sustenance of the human life. Some studies have an indication that asthma occurs in one percent of all pregnancies. Some studies also indicate that asthmatics may have a greater chance of giving birth to premature children or even run the risk of malformed infants or even infants with low birth weight.

It is generally seen that the asthmatic ladies have greater fear of showing signs of any untoward complications during pregnancy and delivery. There was marked increase in delivery of infant of premature birth and infants with low birth weight as a result of this. There are chances of increased bleeding during delivery. But there does not seem to be any concrete evidence of increased incidents of congenital malformations.

The condition of asthma needs to be treated wisely during pregnancy. This is because the condition of asthma causes a decrease in oxygen content in the blood of the mother and in return to the foetus as well. This may well lead to decrease in the growth of the foetus, which may lead to various degrees of malformations also.

The most common occurrence of asthma happens because of the triggers of simple cold or upper respiratory infections in pregnant ladies. It is therefore advisable to avoid situations of coming in contact with people having colds or respiratory infections for ladies who have a history of asthma when they are pregnant. The other pregnant ladies are also advised the same as there is always a risk of catching an infection and also because there are incidents of development of asthma even in the women who have never showed the disease before.

The drugs that are generally considered to be safe can be used to manage asthma during pregnancy. Most of the cases of deformities due to asthma arise because of improper management of asthma during pregnancy. Uncontrolled asthma increases the risk of acute respiratory failure which may put the life of both the mother and the child at risk.

Allergy tests are not recommended to be done during pregnancy. Although the allergy shots are considered to be safe to continue during pregnancy, the allergists or asthma specialists however do not recommend starting of allergy injections during pregnancy. The drugs should also not be self-administered without the doctor's prescription and constant monitoring. This is true with administration of other asthma drugs even the ones which are considered to be safe for different kinds of patients.

If the delivery has to be done with the help of a caesarean section the asthmatic mother needs to be monitored very closely. This is because the asthma patients undergoing surgery that requires anaesthesia have to be closely monitored especially the surgeries requiring general anaesthesia. All the specialists involved in the surgery should be very well aware of the asthma condition of the patient. There should be done all check ups and breathing tests before the surgery. For the patients of acute asthma it is advisable to select a hospital where respiratory care unit is available.

The mothers who are asthmatic also need to be careful while breastfeeding their child. Mothers who have allergic asthma should definitely breastfeed their child because statistics show that the children who are breastfed show lesser signs of developing allergies like eczema or allergic asthma in younger stages. The drugs taken by the asthmatic mother for her condition have to be carefully monitored because ten percent of the drugs taken by the mothers end up in the breastfed babies and are ingested in them. Some drugs may be more harmful than the others. Let the decision of which drugs to be taken be the prerogative of a competent doctor.

Pregnancy, childbirth and nursing the child are beautiful situations of a woman's life. It is therefore very important to be take ample care so that any effect of the mother's diseased condition should never reflect upon the child

Asthma Air Purifier - An Essential Tool to Reduce Attacks in Your Home


Asthma is a prevalent modern disease that appears to be on the rise. The causes are not entirely known, but many asthmatics and parents of asthmatic children have learned some of the triggers that lead to an attack. A good asthma air purifier in the home can help reduce the level of these triggers, and thus help prevent further asthma attacks.

Asthma is a kind of allergic response in which the airways in the lungs become irritated and swell up, restricting airflow. It can be a very frightening experience, when getting a breath of air feels nearly impossible. Young children in particular can be traumatized by asthma attacks, because it is difficult to get them to calm down when the reaction is occurring, and calm is important in mitigating the seriousness of the attack. Unfortunately, asthma is becoming more and more common in our industrialized world.

Although we tend to think of our households as being safer than outside our doors, in the case of air quality indoor air can often be worse, even in urban centres. This is because not only is the air inside essentially the same as outside, there are often trapped components that help create an unhealthy atmosphere. Some of the most common triggers for asthma attacks are house dust, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander.

Another category which is known to trigger asthma is volatile organic compounds, or VOC's. These are a by-product of the manufacturing process of much of our household products, including carpet, furniture, paint, lacquers, all kinds of plastics, and cleaning supplies. Sensitivity to VOC's varies, but many people experience symptoms without being aware of what the cause is.

The good news for asthmatics is that controlling many of these triggers is easily possible with a good home air purifier. Because most of the triggers can be categorized as particulates, these can be filtered out of the air flow using a good HEPA filter. HEPA filters are capable of filtering particles as small as 0.3 microns, meaning it can even catch bacteria, which are generally 0.2 to 20 microns in size. A good asthma air purifier should have a pre-filter which catches larger dust and hair first, then passes the air through a second filter to grab the most minute particles.

It is important that the filters be changed regularly, as the filters will clog up and the amount of air that can then be passed through the filter will drop. Replacement of the filters will depend on the unit, its amount of usage, and of course the condition of the air that it is filtering. Be sure to monitor the filter, especially when first using the unit, to get an idea how often it should be changed. Many units come with a filter alert system, that reminds you when it is time to change the filter.

Unfortunately when it comes to VOC's it is much more difficult to remove them from the air due to their often minute size. The good news is that VOC 'off-gassing' or 'out-gassing' as it is known, usually only occurs for a short period of time, when a product is new. The passage of time and regular exchanges of air (with an open window, for instance) can often reduce the problem considerably.

There is a new kind of system on the market called photocatalytic air purifier which uses a sophisticated ultraviolet method to create free radicals which actually breakdown VOC's completely. The manufacturer claims for these units are outstanding, however, even with this kind of system in place, for the asthmatic it is still important to remove irritating particles from the air as well.

The home should be a sanctuary, but unfortunately much of our modern lifestyle comes at a price. The sharp rise in asthma-sufferers is testament to this. But at least with an asthma air purifier in place, we can make our homes healthy and comfortable for all.

How to Cure Asthma


What is the difference between God and a Doctor? God doesn't think that he is a doctor. How do you tell the difference between a Doctor and a banana? If the banana doesn't go rotten in 14 days then it isn't a doctor. According to your doctor asthma is incurable, or as your Doctor learned after 8 years in University envying the number of women chasing the quarterback, who your Doctor in a jealous and drunken rage referred to in his secret diary as a "hairy Neanderthal", asthma is a "chronic (permanent) inflammatory condition of the lungs." The medical schools and the big drug companies and the big corporate executives have pawned off this deadly myth for so long that now even they believe it.

20 million Americans suffer from asthma. Does this mean that we should lay the blame for asthma on our creator? Did God not know how to create a functioning lung? Are we just prototypes in God's vast laboratory? Perhaps without inhalers all of the asthmatics would die off and then the human gene pool would be freed from this genetic defect and then future generations would evolve into a species with perfectly functioning bronchial tubes. In the interest of future generations perhaps you should throw out your puffer and just choke to death sacrificing your life for the common good. This may get you into heaven in case you forgot to put your $5 into the collection plate last Sunday. Did Jesus have asthma? Did Jesus ever cure an asthmatic? Did Jesus know that asthma was incurable? Did Jesus go to medical school? Did Jesus play football? Was Mary Magdalene a cheerleader for the Jerusalem University Keepahs?

The reasons that the environmental organizations are going nowhere are myriad. One of them is that the word environmental is a combination of the words enviro and mental. No one knows what the word enviro means which leaves us with the word mental. People just think that these people are mental. George Bush's father referred to them as "the spotted owl crowd". His son George proclaimed that there is no evidence that global warming exists. Jesus referred to the leaders of his day as snakes, blind guides, leading us all into the fire. The United States which likes to think of itself as the role model for a world which thinks of the U.S. as the black sheep of the family is the highest per capita polluter in the world. The reason that pollution groups are going nowhere is because people don't understand the meaning of the word pollution. The world is like a giant Jonestown filled with people believing that poison cannot kill them because some Bible writers, scribes, and who Jesus referred to as snakes spewing their deadly poisonous lies into your Bibles (Matthew 23) wrote this baloney in your Bible 2,000 years ago beside "The Earth does not move and it never will" three times. If God wrote your Bible then not only can he not create a functioning lung but he is also very poor at astronomy. Your Bible has 2,000 pages of God's Word and no cure for asthma? Perhaps if the George Bushes had paid a little less attention to their Holy Bibles and checked out the Greenpeace website a couple of times, Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic would not now be melting into the world's 1 ocean which will shortly cause the sea level to rise 50 feet leaving nothing left of the United States except the peaks of Vail, which will be prime beachfront property.

In the Holy Bible God commands the cutting away of the foreskin, not the foresight. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure especially when there is no cure for asthma. The pollution, the particles of poison in the air which we breathe into our lungs, like deadly airborne cyanide, hemlock and snake venom gets into your lungs when you breathe the air, it inflames your lungs and you have asthma. If you want to get away with poisoning children's lungs with deadly poison chemicals so that they cannot breathe then give your poison a name that no one understands, like a "carcinogen", a cancer causing chemical coming out of the exhaust pipe of your car like a bullet which hits its target and then explodes 10 years later in your own lungs and then slowly eats you alive in an excruciating prolonged death. It was announced yesterday that in Beijing, the site of the next Olympics, where the smog is so bad that more car accidents are caused by low visibility than msg, over 100,000 Chinese people died last year from the indoor air pollution in their skyscrapers from the chemicals gassing off from their carpets, furniture, and poor ventilation. Who would want to open a window in Beijing even if the office buildings did have windows? The air in Beijing is so filled with poison gas that the 100 yard dash at the 2008 Olympics has been shortened to 10 yards. What is the big deal searching for a cure for Aids in Africa? If everyone remained a virgin and then only had sex with their spouse there would be no sexually transmitted diseases. Is this a secret being deliberately held from the African people? You cannot break the laws of nature but if you do it will break your back.

Mold is a fungus, a tiny airborne animal that can only be seen when magnified through the lens of a microscope. Some molds exist in nature and we breathe it in all the time in small amounts and our bodies can handle it. However in larger amounts, or in people with immune systems weakened by all of the poison we breathe in every day, these molds which we breathe in, that multiply in our lungs and digestive tracts, these molds cause allergic reactions, aka tightening of the airways, aka chronic asthma, chronic bronchitis and chronic emphysema leading to death. The end of chapter 14 of the Book of Leviticus recommends that in some cases when these molds get into the wooden walls and stones of your house, you must tear down your house and rebuild it.

Doctors, i.e. allopathic doctors will treat the symptoms of your asthma and not the causes. Allergists will diagnose you with mold allergies and inject you with mold for 5 years of useless and painful treatment. Respiratory specialists will give you cortisone inhalers which cause thrush, candida, yeast, mold, fungus in your throat which your bloodstream then carries to every organ in your body including your lungs thereby aggravating the problem and making the doctors and the drug companies rich. Jesus commanded that everyone sell all of their possessions and then give all of their money to the poor. Are there any Christian doctors? Are there any Christians?

Here is the good news. Go to your naturopathic doctor, your doctor of naturopathy. Take the best from what both traditional and naturopathic doctors have to offer. Actually naturopathic doctors should be called traditional doctors since they are the doctors who are using herbal remedies which have been used and are tried and true since before biblical times, which are recommended in the Bible. In the numerous cases of asthma which are caused by breathing in airborne mold, there is a herbal remedy which can cure it. Oil of oregano has been clinically proven to kill bacterial infections which penicillin cannot kill, viruses which "nothing" can kill, molds, yeast and fungus. Many drugs are synthetic preparations of herbal remedies, plant medicine put on earth by God to save your life. Oil of oregano with sage and cumin taken in capsules will kill off the mold, and remove the root cause of the asthma, tiny animals eating their way through your lungs like they eat through wood and stone no matter how much you clean the surface. Your bloodstream will take the Oregacyn capsules (oil of oregano, sage and cumin - search "oregacyn") which you can buy over the internet or in your health food store to every part of your body including your lungs and kill the mold and cure the asthma. It is also good to take non dairy acidophilus, the healthy bacteria in our bodies which beats back the mold, and NutriBiotic grapefruit seed extract tablets which also kill the fungus. Years ago Doctors accused the naturopaths of practicing voodoo medicine and the Government threatened to ban herbal remedies as being unsafe. (Some are unsafe. Check with your naturopath and your doctor and your health food stores to see which ones.) Today many drug stores look more like health food stores than drugstores. In the fight for power, control and money in medicine and in religion, it is always the patient who ends up the big loser. If the 200 countries on Earth decided to make World Peace they could do it overnight at the United Nations. Unfortunately your Holy Bibles and your religious leaders forbid it. Also, the weapons manufacturers own and are pulling the strings of the politicians, and they will never allow World Peace, until nuclear world war III causes the extinction of all life on earth forever in the near future, which will also put an end to asthma once and for all. Think of it as radiology theology coming to your rescue.

Asthma - Herbal treatment, Ayurvedic Remedies and Home Remedies


What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder in which the inner lining of the respiratory tract becomes inflamed. Alternatively it could be blocked with a layer of mucus or could become constricted due to some other reason. All these factors could lead to severe problems in respiration, which could even result in death of the person.

Though asthma is a chronic disorder, it does not manifest itself all the time. It is exacerbated by certain triggers, which can lead to the bouts of respiratory problems, known as asthmatic attacks. During an asthmatic attack, there is severe difficulty in breathing, characterized by wheezing, gasping, shortness of breath and inability of speech. Generally an attack does not last more than a few minutes. However, a severe attack could kill within those few moments the attack lasts.

Why is Asthma caused?

The exact cause of asthma is not known. But in asthmatic people, the attacks are caused due to some environmental factors to which they are allergic. There are many allergenic factors in the environment such as dust, hair, pollen, lint, smoke, cigarette smoke, perfumes, deodorants and many others. When such an allergen is present in the environment of the person whose respiratory tract is inflamed, the person develops a violent reaction. This is known as an asthmatic attack.

However why some people are allergic to some substances is not known. The same substance can have widely different responses in different people. Even with the same allergen, there could be different levels of responsiveness in different people.

It is being strongly suggested nowadays that allergies develop due to genetic factors. For example, if the father is allergic to chalk powder, then there is a strong possibility that the child will be allergic to the same substance also. Again, it is not clear why in some people the respiratory tracts get inflamed.

What are the Symptoms of Asthma?

When a person is going to get the attack, one or more of the following symptoms can be observed:-

  • The person may find it difficult to breathe. Breathing may occur with gasps.

  • The heartbeat will increase.

  • There will be excessive sweating.

  • There will be spots before the eyes.

  • There could be a sense of claustrophobia, i.e. a feeling of being in a closed environment.

  • Talking will become difficult.

  • There will be a tight, constricted, or even burning feeling, in the chest.
  • When the attack comes on, the following characteristics are observed:-

  • The person would most generally collapse as the ability to stand on the feet would be diminished.

  • Breathing will come in very large gasps; the person will look like as if swallowing air.

  • There will be severe palpitation and profuse sweating.

  • Hands and feet could become cold.

  • Due to loss of nerve impulses, the person may also begin moving spasmodically.
  • How can Asthma be avoided?

    Asthma is a chronic condition; there is no cure for it. Hence the only 'treatment' for an asthmatic attack will be to identify the allergenic factor and completely eliminate it from the surroundings of the person. Often it is difficult to find out which the allergen is; but with careful observation, it can be found out.

    People living with an asthmatic patient should also take due care that the allergen is not introduced in the proximity of the person. Generally with the allergen eliminated from the surroundings, asthmatic patients can lead a normal life.

    One more point is to keep a bronchodilator always at hand. This is a pump-like device which pumps air forcibly into the respiratory tract, thereby reducing the constriction. Also the bronchodilator must always be full - negligence could make all the difference between life and death to a patient.

    How can Asthma be controlled with Simple Home Remedies?

    Many traditional recipes have been used over the ages to keep asthma at bay. Though not clinically proven, these recipes have been indeed effective in prolonging the lives of asthmatic persons. Some of these recipes are given below:-

  • Mix a couple of leaves of the holy basil with honey and consume them every morning. This is a very effective remedy to keep asthmatic attacks away.

  • When an attack is about to come, then chewing on some leaves of the holy basil mixed with rock salt.

  • In order to clean the respiratory tract, roast gram and have them with milk just before going to bed.

  • Grind some turmeric (use old turmeric for better results). Mix one teaspoonful of this powder with one tablespoonful of honey (again, the honey must be as old as possible). This is to be taken orally. This recipe is believed to work even when all other methods fail.

  • For asthma in the early stages, it is beneficial to chew on some black pepper before going to bed.

  • For temporary relief from asthmatic attacks, mix some leaves of the holy basil with black pepper and consume them.

  • One more remedy is to mix some lemon juice with ginger and consume it once a day.
  • Blockbuster Herbal Treatment for Asthma - The 10 Days Breakthrough


    Asthma is an abnormal lung condition characterized by difficulty in breathing. People with asthma have extra sensitive or hyper responsive airways. The airways react by narrowing or obstructing when they become irritated. This makes it difficult for the air to move in and out. Many times it is more difficult to move the air out (i.e.) exhale than inhale. This causes severe discomfort. This narrowing or obstruction can cause one or a combination of the following symptoms like wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

    The intensity of these symptoms depends to extent to which the affliction has developed like mild, acute or chronic. The main cause of asthma is allergy. Dust, pollen, molds, animal dandruff are some common allergens that trigger an asthmatic symptom in people with hypersensitive airways.

    The conventional medicines meant for treating asthma treat only the symptoms and not the underlying cause besides producing a number of side-effects. These medications are chemical based and steroids are artificial and hence cannot cure asthma or control it totally. Natural therapies believe that it is the artificial environment that has caused asthma in first place. Herbal treatment of asthma uses a combination of herbs that have properties similar as steroids in enhancing ease of breathing and building up strong immunity against allergy, without any side effects.

    These herbs have been widely mentioned in Ayurveda, an ancient medical science of India and Traditional Chinese Medications. Herbs like Inula helenium, verbascum thapsus, Glychyrrhiza glabra, Emblica officinalis, Shilajit, Ocinum Sanctum, Chebulic myrobalan, etc. are the herbs used to treat and control asthma. These herbs are used in combinations in certain proportions to make herbal medications. Such herbal medications are effective in treatment as they dilate the respiratory tract making it easy for the patient to breathe and prevent the occurrence of hyper sensitivity reaction as they permanently change the composition of the person to build up a strong immunity against allergy. Thus herbal remedies effect a near complete cure to asthma without having any side effects.

    Herbal remedies have been traditionally used for hundreds of years, though no clinical proof has been made. Patients should consult a qualified doctor who understands alternative health care before combining herbal medicine with allopathic medicine.

    Natural Cures For Asthma - Get Rid of the Tightness in Your Chest


    How great would it be to find some completely safe and effective natural cures for asthma? Below I will provide you with well known natural cures for asthma to help you with your asthma and provide you with the asthma relief you're seeking.

    The method I'm about to present to you have been around for a long time, and has been proven to be one of the best ways to deal with breathing problems regarding asthma. It's very popular and it's very inexpensive, you ready to know what it is? COFFEE!

    Over and over people are using this to help their asthma everyday, and it's helping people just like you stop the breathing problems they face with asthma, and has been used as one of the best natural cures for asthma.

    The caffeine in the coffee works like an anti-inflammatory cause, and it helps lower the swelling in the lungs and airways. When drinking the coffee it has to be drunk with no cream, or milk added. It has to be drunk as is, straight out of the espresso.

    You will soon start to notice your lungs opening up, and you will feel it a lot easier to breathe in a matter of minutes. Time and time again this has been known to work, as it will aid you with the tightness in your chest, and probably one of the most used natural cures for asthma.

    Just about every asthmatic want different ways to deal with their asthma besides using drugs, but they want something that will give the same effect as the drugs do, just without the side effects.

    Symptoms of Asthma in Older Babies


    Asthma seems to be more common in developed countries and this phenomenon is still being studied and investigated by researchers around the world. Perhaps the only thing that is definite is that infants and children have greater chances of developing asthma if one or both parents have asthma or if one or both sides of the parent's family have asthmatic members.

    Perhaps the most common symptom of asthma in infants and children is wheezing. However, it does not necessarily guarantee that when an infant or a child is wheezing, he or she is already a sufferer of it. There are actually other reasons why a child or an infant is wheezing so that's why it is not always correct to correlate wheezing instantly with asthma.

    Since diagnosing or ruling out whether an infant or a child has asthma or not, some doctors usually decide to just treat the wheezing symptoms without really taking time to diagnose if this type of sickness is present or not. One good thing about wheezing is that infants who suffer from it usually outgrow it when they get older.

    If you notice that your child is constantly wheezing, experiencing constant coughing fits that become more severe at night or after vigorous physical activities such as playing, take your child to a doctor because these may be signs of asthma.

    The physician may also ask you if your child is having difficulty in breathing when the air is cold, when there are allergens (dust, pet fur or hair, strong or irritating odors, etc.), or smoke. You may also need to share the medical history of your family especially those that have something to do with respiratory or lung diseases such as asthma, sinus problems and allergies.

    Asthma Attacks - What Not to Do


    Asthma frequency in the population

    About 3% of people in the Western world are asthma sufferers. People from Africa and from amongst the Canadian Indians seem to rarely suffer from it. People of all ages can be asthma sufferers with slightly more of them living in cities than rural areas. Asthma amongst children is a widespread problem and for about 30% of them it will have started before the age of 10, when twice as many boys than girls become asthmatic.

    What happens during an asthma attack

    With some people asthma is being slightly wheezy from time time, but in others it can come as repeated spasmodic attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. These attacks are unpleasant: your chest feels tight and you often get dry cough. Inside your lungs the bronchial tubes become tighter and the inner lining swells up to partly block the airway. What also happens is that extra mucus is produced in the bronchial tubes further impeding the air flow. The good news is that if treated promptly with medication or breathing exercises things will soon return to normal and no lasting damage is done.

    Avoid prolonged asthma attacks

    The main point here is not to let the asthma attack go on because it will just get worse and worse. Your breathing muscles will have to work very hard and get tired made more acute by the low levels of oxygen in the bloodstream. After a considerable time, should you let an asthma attack continue untreated, the mucus in your lungs becomes dry and hard thanks to all the mouth breathing that has been going on and you probably won't be drinking enough liquids. At this stage of an asthma attack, things have become serious needing hospital admission and artificial assistance to get air into your lungs.

    Of course, an asthma attack should never be allowed to get so serious and the golden rule is to start treating an attack as soon as possible after it starts. If there isn't any improvement after taking your regular medication then call a doctor before the symptoms get worse.

    Saturday, September 12, 2015

    Lung Volumes in Respiratory Physiology


    Respiratory physiology uses both lung volumes and capacities to asses lung function. The main difference between a volume and capacity is that a capacity basically involves the sum of more than one volume. The major lung volumes and capacities include total lung capacity, vital capacity, forced vital capacity, tidal volume, residual volume, expiratory reserve volume, inspiratory reserve volume, functional residual capacity, inspiratory capacity, anatomical dead space, and physiologic dead space. We will discuss the meanings of the volumes involved in respiratory physiology.

    Tidal volume is the volume of air that is breathed in and out (inspired and expired) during normal breathing. Thus the name "tidal" (since its like the waves of a tide when graphed). Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is the volume of air that can be inspired after the tidal volume. So, essentially this is the amount of air that you can breathe in on top of the tidal volume. Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)? is the volume of air that can be expired after breathing out a normal breath of air. Residual volume is air that will stay in the lungs even after you have breathed out all the air possible.

    Besides these volumes, another important concept is that of dead space. This refers to air that is not involved in gas exchange (physiologic dead space) or air that stays in the tubes or bronchioles of the lungs (anatomic dead space).

    These meaurements are an essential part of determining an individual lung function. The capacities and volumes along with additional data can be plotted on a graph and help diagnose problems such as COPD or Asthma. For example, someone with COPD may have a marked decrease in their forced expiratory volume (a classic way to diagnose COPD).

    Is Exercise Induced Asthma A Different Form Of Asthma?


    Occasionally asthma attack happen only during, or shortly after, exercise.

    Initially, doctors thought this was a different form of asthma, an entirely different form, but it is now known that it is common for people with asthma to have asthma attacks during exercise.

    These people do have asthma that is triggered by the exercising, however the asthma is not caused by exercising.

    In other words, the asthma existed in the person BEFORE the exercise, however it is a mild case of asthma, which is brought out by the heavier, faster breathing brought on by exercise.

    Doctors used to puzzle about why children got exercise-induced asthma much more than adults.

    Research into this revealed the simple truth that the majority of adults don't exercise or play as children do.

    Increased breathing during exercise causes cooling and drying of the lining of the air passages, which can trigger exercise-induced asthma.

    This explains why warm moist air protects against exercise-induced asthma and why swimming is better exercise for an asthmatic than running, or biking.

    Exercise-induced asthma can be useful for asthma research and diagnosing asthma in children.

    It can be used for testing the effectiveness of new medicines that may help treat asthma in the future.

    With exercise of six minutes a child is often breathing hard enough and fast enough to bring on a "mild" asthma. "This is very safe" and this has brought on early and appropriate advice and treatment for many asthmatics.

    It can cause athletes a particular problem which is why some cross-country skiers wear breathing masks which store some body heat and moisture from the air they breathe out and return it to the air they breathe in.

    Swimmers are fortunate in that, especially with indoor pools, the air surrounding them is moist and warm.

    However it is also common that asthmatic professional athletes must be careful with their medications as it may lead to disqualification.

    However, all the ordinary asthma medicines and treatments, used for management, are acceptable to sporting bodies.

    Asthma Eating Habits - They Are Killing You


    Bad Asthma Eating Habits

    It's no secret that most people these days tend to have poor diets but when it comes to asthma we really should be watching what we eat after all it affects us asthmatics a whole lot more than the average person. When you have asthma you will usually be breathing in double the amount of oxygen than a normal person does and as a result asthma symptoms begin to develop. You will need to watch your diet closely because it affects your weight which in turn affects your breathing all this has a sever impact on your asthma if you are not eating the correct foods.

    You should never eat before going to sleep as an asthmatic. This fills your stomach and causes you to sleep deeper, the deeper you sleep the greater chance of you inhaling more oxygen than on a normal night, it also will make you pick up weight a lot faster when you eat a few hours just before sleep, you should aim to eat around 4-5 hours before sleep. Eating before you sleep also creates heat in your body. Asthmatics should always sleep in a cool room, not to warm and not to cool.

    When you body is too warm, it will then try to cool itself down when you are asleep, one way that your body tries to accomplish this is through deeper breathing and like i said you cannot breathe deeply when you are an asthmatic, the result would be that you have to use your inhaler.

    You can naturally reduce your asthma by simply eating healthy rich raw foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Your diet should contain dates as dates tend to help people with asthma and at all costs avoid anything which is processed, these tend to be the fast foods that so many people have incorporated into their daily diets as well as most tins foods.

    For the most part avoid chocolate and anything that contains high dairy. If you eat foods they should be warm and not too cold. I'm sure by now you know that by eating high dairy enriched foods closes your chest such as ice cream, ice cream is also cold and as a result your chest will begin to start wheezing if you eat loads of ice cream.

    You should incorporate a good exercise program into your daily life, this will help keep any excess weight off of you and also help your breathing, one of the best forms of exercise tends to be swimming as this helps asthmatics regulate their breathing pattern.

    What Causes Chronic Bronchitis?


    Chronic bronchitis is a disease characterized by cough and sputum for at least 3 consecutive months in a year for more than two successive years.

    Causes

    Smoking: Smoking causes bronco constriction, sluggish ciliary movement, increases airway resistance, hypertrophy of the mucous, glands, increased number of goblet cells and hyper secretion of mucous. Though smoking is said to be most importance cause, yet only 12 to 15 percentages of the smokers develop COPD.

    Atmospheric pollution: Industrial and domestic smoke as well as sulphur -dioxide are main causes of air pollution which are responsible of chronic bronchial irritation and increased resistance to the airflow.

    Infection: The role of infection is uncertain, but it appears that once it develops chronic irritation is maintained and progresses to emphysema. The main organisms are hemophilus influenza and streptococcus pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumonia may also be involved.

    Occupation: Coal miners and industrial workers are often exposed to dust and fumes which may irritate the bronchial tree.

    Familial and genetic abnormalities associated with alpha anti-protease deficiency may also be present.

    Types

    Simple chronic bronchitis: Here sputum is mucoid.

    Chronic recurrent mucopurulent bronchitis: There is muccopurulent sputum present in the absence of localized suppurlative disease.

    Chronic Obstructive Bronchitis: Air way obstruction is dominant

    Chronic asthmatic bronchitis: There is long continuing cough and sputum with late onset of wheeze.

    SYMPTOMS

    Cough with Expectoration: It starts as attacks of "winter cough" and "smoker's cough", gradually increasing severity and duration. The expectoration is mucoid or mucopurulent depending on the presence of infection.

    Shortness of breath due to air way obstruction, broncho-spasm and in long standing cases due to development of emphysema.

    Bronchitis and Its Effects


    Bronchitis is a very common respiratory disease. It can accompany flu or cold and it occurs in people of all ages. Smokers and people with weak immune system are very exposed to developing chronic bronchitis and in some cases asthmatic bronchitis. Smoking is considered to be a serious factor of risk in the development of bronchitis and it can lead to complications such as pneumonia.

    Bronchitis is mostly caused by viruses, in which case the illness clears on itself within days, without medical treatment. However, if the illness is caused by bacteria, medical treatment with antibiotics is required for overcoming bronchitis completely. Bronchitis can be either acute or chronic. The acute form of the illness generates intense symptoms, but if it caused by viruses, it usually clears up quickly. Acute bronchitis is very common in people of all ages and rarely requires medical treatment. Chronic bronchitis generates milder symptoms, which can aggravate in time. This form of illness is persistent and has a recidivating character. Chronic bronchitis needs continuous treatment until the illness is completely overcome, otherwise the symptoms will quickly reoccur. This form of bronchitis involves bacterial infection and needs specific, long-term medical treatment with antibiotics. Chronic bronchitis has a very high incidence in smokers and people with weak immune system.

    Bronchitis generates symptoms such as cough, excess production of mucus, shortness of breath, chest pain, soreness and discomfort, wheezing, headache and fever. The presence of fever can point to bacterial infections and possible complications. Bronchitis is difficult to diagnose, considering the fact that its symptoms are also common to many other respiratory conditions (asthma, sinusitis). However, careful physical examinations and laboratory analyses can reveal the presence of bronchitis in most patients. Bronchitis is one of the most common respiratory illnesses among chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Despite its high incidence in people with respiratory conditions, bronchitis is often misdiagnosed. A clinical examination of patients with bronchitis is sometimes insufficient in revealing the actual cause of illness. Bronchitis is often misdiagnosed and confused with asthma, sinusitis or allergies.

    If bronchitis isn't caused by bacterial infections, the aim of medical treatments is to unblock the obstructed airways of the respiratory tract. Bronchitis causes inflammation of the mucous membrane, bronchial tubes and other organs and tissues involved in the process of breathing. When these fragile respiratory organs become inflamed and irritated, they produce excess mucus, in an attempt to protect themselves from external agents (dust particles, irritants). This excess of mucus clogs the airways and obstructs the access of air to the lungs, causing difficulty breathing, wheezing and cough. Medical treatments often include inhaled medicines which help unblock the airways of the respiratory tract. Such medicines are called bronchodilators and are mostly used in chronic bronchitis and asthmatic bronchitis.

    Bronchitis needs appropriate treatment in order to be fully overcome. If you experience difficulty breathing or persistent cough, it is advised to seek medical help. Left untreated, bronchitis can aggravate and lead to serious complications.

    How Asthma Affects Fitness?


    People suffering from asthma may definitely have second thoughts about doing workouts. They may think that involving themselves in physically demanding activities such as jogging or lifting weights may compromise their normal breathing and induce asthma attacks. Unfortunately, the dilemma is indeed perplexing, as they have to choose between avoiding an asthma attack and maintaining a fit body through exercise. Ultimately, many of them end up having weight problems while shunning fitness routines. Consequently, also, these have only raised the risks of asthma attacks.

    Asthma directly affects a person's breathing passages and, therefore, causes much difficulty in breathing. When suffering an asthma attack, a person's breathing has a wheezing sound both when inhaling and exhaling. He experiences a sensation of tightness in the chest along with coughing and fatigue. This certainly discourages him from doing activities that may demand normal to heavy breathing.

    Naturally, an asthma attack, even a mild one, would be enough reason why a person would avoid any strenuous activity. While it is true that air pollution, allergens, and other inhaling irritants can trigger it, doctors have also included physical exertion as one of the culprits. Hence, many asthmatics tend to gain weight unconsciously in their effort to keep away from any instance that could trigger an attack. Kids, especially, are glued to TV and video games instead of playing outdoors. This only resulted to a growing number of asthmatic children who are also obese.

    However, medical studies have also concluded that lack of exercise can also trigger asthma. Being physically inactive, an asthmatic may just quickly suffer shortness of breath with just a few meters of jogging and brisk walking or several minutes of light exercises. With lungs that are not given the exercise it needs, any allergen, polluted air, and second-hand tobacco smoke can indeed be doubly riskier. Therefore, asthmatics also need an amount of physical exercises. Their ailment does not exempt them from physical fitness efforts.

    In fact, asthmatics need to exercise in order to manage well under attacks. Since asthma has no known cure yet, the best way to face it is to prevent any instance that may trigger it. That includes having a fit body and a pair of lungs that would be able to withstand slight physical exertion and moderately cold and dry weather. Of course, the exercise routines for an asthmatic should not be as exhaustive as that of a non-asthmatic. The processes may be different and the reps may be less and gentler.

    For an asthmatic, jogging outdoors when the weather is cold enough to trigger an attack is absolutely not allowed. Therefore, while he should exercise, it advised that he avoid doing it in an environment that may be harmful. Aside from exercises, he should also ensure that his food intake is healthy and non-fat. The lessened physical exercise allowed to him must be complemented with a diet that would not deliver too much fat and sugar into his body.

    Truth About Bronchitis - Symptoms And Treatment Explained


    Bronchitis is quite a known chronic disease. Here are some interesting & basic facts about this ailment.

    1. This disease was quite common even in those days yet the developments in the medicinal field have seen now seen many alternatives to treat the said condition.

    2. The pulmonary disorders are rather common among the children. This doesn't imply that the adults are untouched with the same. As a matter of fact, living in the modern age polluted cities, amidst smokers, industries and racing cars all of us are prone to the disease.

    3. In case your bronchi are inflamed, there are chances for you to have bronchitis that is a known obstructive pulmonary disorder or illness.

    4. Bronchitis can be divided in to the acute or short term and the chronic or long term category.

    5. Bronchitis can occur in any age.

    6. It is quite closely associated with the flues and colds.

    7. In case the bronchitis is left uncured, it can lead to severe pneumonia.

    8. Bronchitis is indeed common among the smokers.

    Acute Bronchitis

    1. Acute bronchitis' symptoms are quite similar to flu.

    2. It lasts only for a short term.

    3. Individuals suffering with the viral infections are often susceptible to the acute bronchitis.

    4. This ailment is contagious & generally begins with dry cough that often happens at night. Within a few days, the cough would progress. Quite soon the person would suffer with other symptoms like fever, fatigue, and headache. Curing this cough might take many weeks or many months. This is because healing process in such cases is very slow, especially in your bronchial tubes.

    5. In case you are suffering with cough for a month or more, your doctor could refer you to check with an ENT expert so as to ensure if there are some other causes of the irritation. Yet, if your bronchial tubes remain irritated, this can lead to the asthmatic conditions.

    6. In acute bronchitis, your passage ways constrict due to infection caused by some virus or bacteria. In case the ailment is due to bacteria, the apt antibiotic regimen can do the trick to cure the ailment. It is always advised to visit the doctor to get a medical diagnosis. Remember taking any medicine with out the doctor's prescription could make the disorder rather worse.

    7. Persistent cough & wheezing also imply that you might be suffering with acute bronchitis. The constricted bronchial tubes create the wheezing sound every time we breathe. While this disorder can be cleared up in a few days, in some cases it might take several months or weeks as well. Remember in such a situation, you must take lot of rest and drink lots & lots of water or juices.

    8. A simple home remedy to fight back this disease is placing wet blankets & towels in varied places in the house to increase the humidity there. Room humidifiers are also a good option for such patients.

    9. Smoking is anyways injurious to health but in case of the bronchial patients, it can be disastrous. So, the smokers suffering with acute bronchitis must quit the habit of smoking before the condition gets worst.

    Chronic Bronchitis

    1. This is an ongoing condition.

    2. Curing this might take several months, or even years.

    3. The environmental factors that lead to this ailment are exposure to fumes, smoke, dust, odors, etc.

    4. Chronic bronchitis is incurable, so the patients must consult their doctor well enough to identify the triggers. They should then remove as many triggers as possible form their environment in order to keep healthy.

    5. Remember, in this ailment prevention is equivalent to cure so you must work on removing the triggers else, it could be dangerous for you.

    6. Consulting the doctor, they would suggest you several laboratory tests like test for pulmonary function & blood gases in arteries, chest x-rays, and sputum culture. Generally thee test are also done for the patients of acute bronchitis.

    7. Just like acute bronchitis, smoking can make the situation worst for the patients of chronic bronchitis as well. So you must quit this bad habit in order to keep healthy and get rid of this ailment.

    8. A healthy & active lifestyle is unbeatable at the end of the day. Practicing all preventive measures can avoid bronchitis and many other ailments for all individuals.

    The primer symptoms of bronchitis are:

    i. coughing

    ii. excessive mucus

    iii. fever

    iv. pain in the chest

    v. inflammation

    vi. discomfort

    vii. wheezing

    These symptoms can further lead to the other respiratory problems like:

    i. sinusitis

    ii. asthma

    iii. complicated pneumonia

    Diagnose & Treatments

    1. While bronchitis is a very common respiratory disorder, it is often misdiagnosed in the absence of proper para clinical & physical examinations. To get an accurate diagnose, laboratory analysis & pulmonary tests are a must.

    2. Bronchitis calls for special attention before the damage is enhanced further. When the infection is bacterial, fever is the chief indication. In around 80% cases, the treatment as accomplished in just 5-10 days with the right anti-biotics. Remember, the anti-biotic or any medication must be taken with the doctor's advise else it could be devastating.

    3. Antibiotics have several side effects like abdominal pain, diarrhea, rashes, etc. that can't be neglected. These cause a lot of discomfort for the patient. Yet they are acceptable only if they are absolutely necessary.

    4. In case the infection is caused due to virus, or other agents, antibiotics are not effective. In such periods the only treatment is to rest for long time period, use room humidifiers, and hydrate the patients' body with lot of water and juices. In case the things do not get fine with in a few days, you must consult a doctor. It might be pneumonia and/or asthma bronchitis.

    5. When the cause of bronchitis is obstructions in your bronchial tubes owing to inflammation in your respiratory tract, tissues, organs and the mucous membranes, it causes irritation and increased secretion of the mucus. Such gathering of mucus in your bronchial tubes causes difficulty in breathing, wheezing sound and coughing.

    6. Bronchodilators are the medications administered to the patients who have a difficulty in breathing. These help in re-establishing the process of respiration. These are commonly prescribed to the patients suffering with chronic bronchitis & asthma.

    7. Bronchitis could be dangerous and it is advisable to get treated as soon as possible to avoid all complications!